Historical Romance Book Club discussion

This challenge is meant to help you climb your TBR Mountain and get those books finally read.



This will be a quarterly challenge, with a new theme each quarter. This year our first theme will be Choose your own adventure! I solicited some thoughts on our Q4 thread and found there were so many fun ideas, I thought it'd be fun to let everyone determine their own. Random? That's ok! One word titles-go with it. Titles with a certain word? Yes please. Cover love? Absolutely. Take a look at your shelves, or choose your challenge based on what you wish I'd have picked. (And if you have trouble deciding, let us know-we can help!) Don't forget to tell us your theme.

HOW IT WORKS:
1) The first poster will post 5 book titles that they pick from their TBR shelf.

2) The next poster will choose 2 books from the first poster's titles and choose 5 book titles off their own TBR. The first poster will then choose to read at least 1 of the 2 books chosen.

3) The third poster will choose 2 from the second posters list .... and so on.

4) Each participant will have the entire quarter to read their book(s), post their rating and review. And tell us what you think of your book in this thread.

5) You are not limited to 1 time. You can return to select and post more options as often as it suits you.

I pick the wicked wallflower & wallflower for you, Darbella!

My theme is standalones--at least from what I can tell.

Sam I pick - Lord of Secrets (I really wanna read that one too) and Angel in a red dress (that cover though)

Since we have a free hand at themes, I'm going to go with my "Priority-Read-Next" shelf. Basically of books everyone has told me to read, or I really want to read them so I shelf them separately, but somehow end up never reading those. So here are 5 from that shelf:

- My Fake Rake

- My Darling Caroline

- Always a Scoundrel

- Daring Miss Danvers

- The Sweetest Sin

Tanya I Pick. Always a Scoundrel and Sweetest Sin

I have picked one word titles

Shaz, I pick for you:
Bliss and Deception

My choices are from NEW TO ME authors:

Reasons I relate to Tanya! :)

Thank you T.
Look forward to reading them

T, I have selected The Duke Who Didn't and A Hero to Hold for you.

My theme is book deals I picked up but never read:

Mariana wrote: "T, I have selected The Duke Who Didn't and A Hero to Hold for you.

My theme is book deals I picked up but never read:"

Thank you, Mariana!

Jan wrote: "Hi. I have not participated in this challenge before, but would like to join for 2021. I certainly have a huge TBR shelf to try to deal with!! I have read the instructions above, but can you please..."

You got it jan, now we just wait for the next participant to choose for you!

Jan wrote: "Hi. I have not participated in this challenge before, but would like to join for 2021. I certainly have a huge TBR shelf to try to deal with!! I have read the instructions above, but can you please..."

Thanks Jan! I think I'll start with Jericho.

Sam (AMNReader) wrote: "Reasons I relate to Tanya! :)"

:D

Thanks Shaz - going to start with Always a Scoundrel first !

I would like to participate in this challenge, but I am new to it. It would seem that I have to choose 2 for someone else and then list my own 5. However, everyone seems to have already had someone select 2 for them. So I will list my five, and see where we go

Theme - first book in a new series
To wed a scandalous spy - Celeste Bradley (Royal four #1)
Splendid - Julia Quinn (the Splendid Trilogy)
To steal a heart - KC Bateman (Secrets & Spies #1)
The Duke and the Wallflower - Jessie Clever (the unwanted dukes #1)
Beyond Scandal & Desire - Lorraine Heath (Sins for all seasons #1)

Susan wrote: "I would like to participate in this challenge, but I am new to it. It would seem that I have to choose 2 for someone else and then list my own 5. However, everyone seems to have already had someone..."

I think we may have lost a post, so we will start again!

Susan, I choose for you:

To Wed A Scandalous Spy & The Duke and the Wallflower



I'm going with authors on my TBR-new author shelf, because it's way too large.

1.
Stone Devil Duke by K.J. Jackson

2.
The Widow and the Sheikh by Marguerite Kaye

3.
Beau Crusoe by Carla Kelly

4.
The Wicked Wyckerly by Patricia Rice

5.
Beautiful Bad Man by Ellen O'Connell

Thanks - I’ll read the Celeste Bradley. New author for
Me

Hi all- I am new to this challenge and would like to participate. My theme is "Scottish & Irish warriors". I am posting the books below. Thank you.

1.Untamed

2.Highland Warrior

3.Return of the Rogue

4.A Year and a Day


5. Golden Surrender

Padma wrote: "Hi all- I am new to this challenge and would like to participate. My theme is "Scottish & Irish warriors". I am posting the books below. Thank you.

1.Untamed[bookcover:Untamed|768313..."

Welcome Parma! Good list. Can you choose two books from my list? That’s part of the challenge. We choose two books from the previous poster for them to read. And the next poster will choose for you.

Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Padma wrote: "Hi all- I am new to this challenge and would like to participate. My theme is "Scottish & Irish warriors". I am posting the books

Hi Joanna
Thanks for the clarification. I
choose Stone Devil Duke and The Wicked Wyckerly for you.
Happy reading !!

Padma wrote: "Joanna Loves Reading wrote: "Padma wrote: "Hi all- I am new to this challenge and would like to participate. My theme is "Scottish & Irish warriors". I am posting the books

Hi Joanna
Thanks for ..."

It's been a few days--could Darbella choose for Padma (after another couple, I will!) Thanks!

Thanks Darbella:)

I read my book - Jericho (Bridgette's Bridal Registry Book 1).

It was okay. I gave it 3 stars among the many 5 star ratings.

I like stories of redemption, and I am sometimes in the mood for clean or Christian HR. This was both. However, I really did not appreciate the hero's double-standard. He was a thief, just out of prison; yet her could not allow himself to consider a relationship with a woman he was strongly attracted to because she was not a virgin. He finally came around for the HEA, but I thought it took way too long.

This was my first book by the author. The writing was too simple, and the story was short - more of a novella; but I would give her another try, maybe a full length story that would give more time for character development.

I finished Lord of Secrets which required patience I did not have! 2* from me, but I seen to have been harder on it than most of my friends list.

Sam (AMNReader) wrote: "I finished Lord of Secrets which required patience I did not have! 2* from me, but I seen to have been harder on it than most of my friends list."

Sounds like you had patience to finish at least! I started one of mine, Stone Devil Duke, and the start was pretty unbelievable and too fast paced that I wasn’t getting into it. It was leaving me behind so I just decided to not continue - no rating.

Sam (AMNReader) wrote: "I finished Lord of Secrets which required patience I did not have! 2* from me, but I seen to have been harder on it than most of my friends list."

Finished Angel In a Red Dress, and it was WILD. I haven't rated it yet...but I think it's a 4.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Darbella wrote: "Padma, I choose for you Untamed Untamed and A Year and a Day

Good luck and enjoy:)"

Finished A year and a day. Wonderful read

Padma wrote: "Darbella wrote: "Padma, I choose for you Untamed Untamed and A Year and a Day

Good luck and enjoy:)"

Fini..."

Awesome. Glad you enjoyed!

I have started to read Deception by Amanda Quick

Darbella wrote: "Padma, Woot! I hope Untamed is a hit for you too:)"

Hope so :)

Deception
This book was a good and fun book, with lots happening and nice characters

Untamed
Was a great read. An enjoyable Medieval romance

Hi
Have finished reading the 2 books chosen.
What next?
Please clarify
Thanks

Padma wrote: "Hi
Have finished reading the 2 books chosen.
What next?
Please clarify
Thanks"

You can also repost 5 if you want someone to pick for you! Mine are done too and I was thinking I might do another set or finish mine out as darbella suggested

Sam (AMNReader) wrote: "Padma wrote: "Hi
Have finished reading the 2 books chosen.
What next?
Please clarify
Thanks"

You can also repost 5 if you want someone to pick for you! Mine are done too and I was thinking I mig..."

Thanks Darbella, Sam. I will read the remaining 3 books. :)

I finished one of my picks and hope to get to the second one before the quarter runs out. I debated between 2 and 2.5 stars. I'm feeling generous, so 2.5. It was simply too bland all around.

2.5 Stars

Just read my second book. picked by T
Bliss 4 stars Good pick for me T thank you.

I finished The Wicked Wyckerly last week, and it was really fun. I recommend if you want a funny read with heart.

I finished Golden Surrender. Was a great one, quite fast paced for its period. 5 stars. I am planning to read the series.

Padma wrote: "I finished Golden Surrender. Was a great one, quite fast paced for its period. 5 stars. I am planning to read the series."

Glad your finish to Q1 was 5 stars!

Mariana wrote: "Padma wrote: "I finished Golden Surrender. Was a great one, quite fast paced for its period. 5 stars. I am planning to read the series."

Glad your finish to Q1 was 5 stars!"
Thanks Mariana:)

Oops, I forgot the mention that I finished my second pick before the end of the quarter:
3.5 Stars

I know these are wrapping up and I need to create a Q2 challenge. Bear with me!

We have a smaller group (might be our monthly reading list!) and I wanted to make sure you saw our new challenge:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

It's not onerous, even though it seems a little heavier lift!

I'll probably close the loop tomorrow, though all are free to join whenever, we'll just choose differently than the person after.